Crazy for You
by elsiecarson
Summary: Leo has been back in New Bedford for a while and May and Leo are in a relationship. What is Grace's reaction when she catches them in a passionate embrace. What do May and Leo have to do to make Grace believe that they care for each other. May is suddenly on the receiving end of the interference in her life.
1. Caught in the Act

"That's not intimacy May." Leo says as he scolds me gently. He'd asked me what I thought intimacy was and didn't like my answer.

"Then tell me what exactly intimacy is because apparently I've missed some part of my love education." I say indignantly.

"What if I show you instead of telling you?" Leo says cheekily.

"What did you have in mind?" I ask seductively as I walk towards Leo swaying my hips side to side.

Leo doesn't answer but merely sidles closer to me and slips his arms around my waist. He runs a hand though my hair, as best he can with it up, and down my face. He traces a finger across my lips and smiles at me, lowers his lips to mine and kisses me using such a technique that was, as yet, unknown to me. Our bodies now have no space between them as Leo pulls me still closer. My hands come up and drape softly around Leo's shoulders. I slowly pick my feet up off the floor causing Leo to hold me even tighter.

"Mother!" Grace cries in astonishment as she walks in the front door.

Damn I think as I place my feet back on the floor and try to wipe the lipstick smudges off Leo's lips.

"Mother, what is going on?" Grace steps further into the house and closes the front door.

"Do you have a problem with this, Grace?" I ask as I straighten my dress. I'm certainly not going to answer all of Grace's questions just because she asks them.

"I'm just surprised is all. You didn't tell me any of this was even going on." Grace looks surprised.

"I don't report to you, Grace. I'm your mother, not your daughter. You don't have any right to reprimand me." I am beginning to get angrier with her

"But, mother, Mr. McGinty? I didn't think you even liked him. You never showed any inclination towards him." Grace seems sceptical.

"Not in front of you, Grace, but Leo and I have a long history together. We loved each other once and when he came back we rekindled the romance." I try to explain.

"Mother! I can't believe you never told me any of this! Don't you think I had a right to know?" Grace's voice is getting screechy at this point.

"No, Grace! My private life is none of your business! I don't question your relationships and what's going on. I allow you to tell me in your own time what's going on in your life." I turn sharply towards Leo. "You're not feeling guilty are you, Leo?"

"Of course not. We haven't done anything wrong. We're both widowed and we have every right to be in a relationship. Grace should be happy that her mother has found someone that she's loved her entire life. At least we know we both truly love each other this way. We chose this relationship and Grace should be thrilled that you're not going to be interfering in her love life any more trying to set her up with men her age." Leo always has firm opinions.

"I'm thrilled that mother isn't going to be interfering quite as often in my life I just wish she'd shown me enough respect to consider that perhaps I had a right to know that she'd replaced my father with you! My father and I were very close and I thought my mother would have a little more consideration for my feelings in this before she went and jumped into bed with someone else!" Grace throws a wild accusation at Leo and I.

"Grace whoever said that happened? I'm not a common tramp! I don't just jump into bed with just anyone and I resent the insinuation that I have ever done that! Leo and I love each other and we will only take that step when we are both absolutely ready. Neither of us is pushing the other into doing any such thing too early. We've both been hurt in the past and we're being cautious in this relationship." I am irate that she even thought that was possible for me.

"Well, heaven forbid, mother, that at your age you should be even remotely sexually forward! How can you even be considering this? Don't you realize how people will talk? This town is not going to take this lightly mother. How do you suppose that you're going to be able to keep the mine? When people realize that you won't be a Bailey for very long they're going to ask for your resignation." Grace tries to use my job to make me see sense. She thinks I'll just give up the man I love. She must know me better by now.

"They won't dare, Grace. There's no one else intelligent enough in this town to run the mine any way. The only two people in the whole town who can run that mine are Leo and I. At this point in my life, Grace, I'm not concerned about what people in this town are going to say about this relationship. It's time for me to be happy again. Leo makes me happy despite any misgivings you might have about him." I fire back at my daughter angry that I am being challenged so openly, especially in front of the man I love.

"All right mother if that's what you think. I just came to tell you that you needn't make dinner for me tonight because I'm going out with Del." Grace says as she walks out the front door.


	2. Can We Talk?

"Oh good grief. That didn't go at all like I'd planned. She hates me now. Not good. What am I going to do now?" I ask as I sink onto the bottom stair.

"Go after her. She's just confused right now, but you can fix that if you talk to her." Leo says gently.

I heave myself up and go out the front door. Grace hasn't left yet and is sitting on the front porch swing crying. "Grace? I'm sorry that I snapped at you. I should have told you earlier about Leo and I. You're right, you did have a right to know. I never expected all this to happen it just sort of did. Leo and I grew up together. He was the first man I ever loved and there was always a part of my heart that belonged to him. I'm not replacing your father. I'm just in a new relationship. Leo is not your father and he won't ever try to be. I just want to be happy and loved again. It's nothing to do with you Grace. Sometimes I'm just lonely with no one to come home to at night, surely you understand that." I try to be calm and truthful.

"I want you to be happy, mother. I just never expected to come home and see such behaviour from you. You and father were always so reserved with each other, so that moment with Mr. McGinty surprised me is all. I may have reacted strongly because I always thought you were dedicated to father, but it has been a long time and I can see that being lonely can compel a person to seek out companionship. The choice surprises me a little bit, but if you're happy mother then I approve. Does this mean you're getting married again?" Grace asks as she dries her eyes with her handkerchief.

"I don't know yet, Grace. We'll get to that in due time. I don't want to push things. I think we're both being cautious and that's fine with me." I say quietly. I'm surprised by the question as I haven't even considered marriage yet.


	3. Let's Get Some Things Straight

Leo comes out onto the front porch. "Is it safe out here now?" He asks coming and sitting next to me.

"Yes, Leo, you have the all clear now. Everything's fine. Grace and I worked everything out I think. I'm sure she'd like to talk to you now that everything has calmed down." I encourage Leo and he comes and sits next to me.

"Grace can ask me anything she wants. I want everything to be open and honest. Grace, don't be worried about your mother. I've known her since she was a little girl. I'm not here because of her money. I'm here because I've loved her my entire life and I've never forgotten how important she was to me. Is there anything you need to know Grace?" Leo asks as he holds my hand.

"Are you going to marry mother?" Grace asks critically.

"We haven't made any definite decisions yet, but when we do you'll be amongst the first to know. We have to work at this relationship a little bit. We're both a little shy which I know you think is out of character for your mother, but really it isn't. I don't know what to tell you about the future because it's uncertain for us too. I'm raising my granddaughter as you know, so I also have that to think about. Your mother and I are just enjoying our time together at the moment." Leo tries to explain gently.

"That was very clear when I walked in." Grace grumbles under her breath. I just catch what she says.

"I know that was awkward Grace. I'm sorry. I didn't expect you home so soon. I never wanted to embarrass you. I always thought I'd tell you about Leo and I before you ever saw anything. I never meant it to get this far without you knowing. I've been selfish and wanting to keep this to myself and I'm sorry. You and your brother have a right to know above all others. I should have told you about this ages ago." I am trying to make amends to my daughter.

"I understand that you would want to keep this quiet until you were sure this was going to be happy for the two of you. I would have done the same thing. It's easy to think how worried you must have been to tell anyone, even your own family, in this quiet town where everyone knows everything." Grace says honestly. She knows how difficult it is to keep a secret in New Bedford.

"Is everything alright between us now Grace? I don't want us to be angry with each other." I ask gently.

"Yes mother, everything is fine. I better go. I have to meet Del in town and I don't want to be late." Grace gives me a hug and then bounces down the porch steps.


End file.
